Keep fit
by Dancingwiththesocks
Summary: Merlin doesn't think that Arthur does enough exercise so he makes up a training program but little does he know that Arthur may have his own. Please review as it really helps me :)


Merlin was welcomed to the sight of Arthur stuffing himself with food, which Merlin was soon going to interrupt.

Unknown to Arthur Merlin grabbed the TV remote and switched off the TV which got an irritated response from Arthur.

"Oi I was watching that!" Arthur said childishly.

"Not anymore" Merlin replied cheerfully.

Arthur looked at Merlin angrily. "Why have you got that stupid grin on your face?" Arthur asked unkindly.

Merlin's grin got wider, "I have had a great idea".

"That's not often then" Arthur said under his breath.

Merlin let out a fake laugh before continuing on telling Arthur his great idea.

"So Arthur, I have noticed how much you spend your life watching TV and stuffing your face with food"

"If this is your nice way of saying I'm fat I swear to god I-"

Merlin cut his sentence short, "Actually Arthur both of us could do with more exercise".

"But I'm fighting fit!" Arthur retorted.

"Yeah, but we need to keep you that way" Merlin replied.

Suddenly Merlin saw a cushion get thrown at him; luckily he dodged it just in time therefore the cushion hitting the wall instead.

"See your getting more exercise already" Merlin said with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Get out!" Arthur shouted, his arm threatening to throw another cushion at him.

Merlin ran out the room, looking forward to the following morning.

The next morning couldn't have come quick enough. Merlin sneaked into Arthur's room and drew back the curtains so that the light shone through the window, causing Arthur to wake up with a loud groan.

"Merlin, do you have any idea what time it is?" Arthur asked grumpily.

"It's time to rise and shine!" Merlin shouted enthusiastically.

"I'm not a loaf of bread so I don't rise and I'm not the sun therefore I defiantly don't shine, especially not at 7 in the morning!" Arthur said angrily.

"You know what they say, the early bird catches the worm" Merlin replied still smiling.

"I'm the bird and you're the worm" Arthur mumbled into his pillow.

After literally having a tug of war fight over Arthur's duvet, Merlin eventually won and said "come on get dressed and when you're done I'll have breakfast waiting for you".

Before Arthur could argue Merlin had left the room.

Once the door had been shut Arthur looked at the clothes that Merlin had left him and was horrified to see what the clothes were.

Arthur stomped down the stairs five minutes later with a scowl on his face.

"Ah, that outfit suits you" Merlin said in a mocking tone.

"Shut up Merlin!" Arthur shouted before adding "I look like a fruit salad in this". Arthur was wearing the yellow top and red shorts that Merlin had left on his bed.

"Stop complaining and eat your breakfast" Merlin replied.

Arthur sat down and stared at his breakfast in shock of the lack of food that was on the table.

"What is this?" Arthur said in disgust.

"It's porridge" Merlin replied.

"This looks revolting!" Arthur moaned.

"It might taste better than it looks" Merlin said trying to get Arthur to eat the porridge.

Arthur looked at the size of the bowl and frowned, "this isn't enough, I'll still be starving by the time I've eaten this" Arthur waved disgustedly at the bowl.

"Porridge is very filling "Merlin said in an encouraging tone.

Arthur took another look at the porridge before complaining, "It looks like you have vomited in this then served it".

"Just eat it" Merlin said getting a little bit annoyed.

Arthur put the spoon full of porridge to his mouth and grimaced while he ate it.

When Merlin wasn't looking Arthur noticed that the window was open so he threw the porridge out of the window, pretending to have finished his breakfast.

As Merlin took the bowl away he told Arthur about the new training schedule which did not impress Arthur.

"Running?" Arthur said out loud.

"Yes that's what it says" Merlin replied with the grin back on his face.

"Have you lost your mind, you can't seriously expect me to go along with this" Arthur said with a frown on his face.

"Oh come on it will be fun" was Merlin's reply before adding "plus I will be running too so you won't be doing it alone".

That gave Arthur one positive thing about this new schedule even if he still thought that it was a bonkers idea.

"Well now I've found out that it will be some fun for me to see you make a fool of yourself it doesn't seem so bad", he then added "But it's still a stupid idea".

Merlin sighed then said "Let me just get changed into my running clothes then we will set off"

"Okay" Arthur said in mock agreement.

While Merlin was gone Arthur had an idea of how he could delay the process of going for the run. Even though it would be enjoyable to see Merlin make a fool of himself, he couldn't stand of risk of being seen in public wearing what Merlin had picked out for him.

When Merlin came back Arthur couldn't help but tease about the way Merlin looked. "You look like a zebra in that" Arthur said before exploding into laughter.

"Yeah very funny" Merlin said before slipping into his shoes. When Merlin walked he let out an "Ow!" and after a few more steps he began to get frustrated.

Before he could say anything Arthur butted in, "Oh dear you must have hurt yourself, why don't you rest for today and go out running another time" Arthur said unhelpfully.

Ignoring Arthur's comment he sat down on the edge of one of the steps on the stairs, he took off his shoe to find three stones tumbling out.

"Very clever Arthur!" Merlin said in a tone of a disappointed teacher.

Arthur was leaning against the wall with his feet on the third step of the stairs, looking like a sulky teenager.

"Now let's go" Merlin said returning to his calm self.

Arthur followed him looking sorry for himself.

However Arthur's theory that Merlin would be the one making a fool of himself turned on him as he was miles behind Merlin and to add to his embarrassment he was panting like crazy.

"Keep up Arthur!" Merlin called with the stupid grin on his face.

"Shut up Merlin!" Arthur yelled as he was doing as best as he could to keep up with Merlin.

When Arthur had finally caught up with Merlin he sank to the floor in exhaustion.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Merlin asked with a smirk on his lips.

"Not so bad!" Arthur yelled "I've just ran a marathon" Arthur added.

Merlin laughed before Arthur continued, "I'm just glad it's over".

"We have to run all the way back yet" Merlin reminded him.

"Good luck with that, I'm staying here" Arthur said, still trying to catch his breath.

"Oh no, you're coming with me" Merlin replied.

"Make me" Arthur said aggressively.

Merlin took the house keys out of his pocket and jangled them before saying "there is only one set of house keys which I'm not prepared to trust you with, so you're coming with me and that's final".

Arthur staggered back on his feet and followed Merlin for ten minutes before spotting a short cut which would lead them near their house.

Without Merlin noticing Arthur ran off into the short cut and to Arthur's surprise it took him a little longer than he thought to figure out where exactly the path led.

After a while Arthur finally found his way home and to his advantage he had got to the house before Merlin. He stood by the front door looking proud of himself, waiting for Merlin to hurry up and get back.

Half an hour later Merlin returned with a smile on his face as well as panting from the run.

"You took your time" Arthur said mockingly.

"Yeah, that's because I ran the whole way while you took a short cut a quarter of the way through" Merlin replied in a smart tone.

Arthur's smile vanished.

After Merlin had unlocked the front door he whispered to Arthur "next time you decide you can't be bothered to do something, make it less obvious about going through with the easy option".

That very moment was when Arthur was determined that he would get the last laugh.

Later in the evening Arthur glanced at the clock and announced to Merlin that he was going to bed.

"It's only 8 o clock Arthur "Merlin said, surprised at what Arthur had just said.

"All that exercise has worn me out" Arthur said while pretending to yawn.

"Fine, goodnight Arthur" was Merlin's final sentence.

"Night Merlin" Arthur replied while going up the stairs, acting like he was shattered.

Little did Merlin know that Arthur had his own plan for the day ahead.

Very early the following morning, Arthur crept into Merlin's room and banged two saucepans together which caused Merlin to wake up with a fright.

"Arthur!" he yelled, "what the hell are you doing?"

"It's your new exercise routine!" Arthur shouted in response to Merlin.

Merlin looked towards his left, where his clock was.

"Arthur, its half past five in the morning!" Merlin shouted.

"You know what they say Merlin, early bird catches the worm!" Arthur shouted while snatching Merlin's duvet off the bed and running off with it, causing Merlin to fall off the bed.

"Oi!" Merlin shouted back before stumbling back into bed.

Waiting over five minutes for Merlin to come downstairs, Arthur went back to Merlin's room to see what was taking so long.

Arthur found Merlin curled up in his bed.

Without warning Arthur jumped on his bed while yelling "get up!", as well as dragging Merlin off the bed.

"Come on, breakfasts ready!" Arthur said cheerfully.

Merlin staggered to his feet and went down the stairs clumsily.

"Ah Merlin here's your breakfast, take a seat" Arthur said while patting the chair.

Merlin sat down gingerly before staring at what was hovering in the bowl.

"What's this?" Merlin asked, slightly worried at what Arthur had prepared for him.

"It's muesli" Arthur replied cheerfully.

"Um" was all Merlin could say before Arthur interrupted.

"Eat" Arthur ordered.

Merlin took the spoon and thought about eating it, until Arthur had also taken hold of the spoon and forcing it into Merlin's mouth.

"Mm mm" was the sound Arthur made while shoving spoonful's of muesli in Merlin's mouth.

"Delicious" was all Merlin could say that wouldn't irritate Arthur as it was too early in the morning to have an argument.

"I'm glad you like it, cause there's plenty more" Arthur said as he gestured at the big pot of muesli.

After breakfast Arthur declared that it was time for the very early morning run. Merlin didn't look enthusiastic or even slightly happy about it.

Merlin rubbed his eyes and stepped out the front door which slammed behind him before realizing that he couldn't see Arthur anywhere.

"Arthur?" Merlin called.

Suddenly Merlin heard the clank of a different door and in a blur he saw Arthur riding on his back.

"Arthur, that's my bike!" Merlin shouted.

"Come and get it then!" Arthur shouted back while pedaling off.

"No, I'm not doing this, I'm going back inside" Merlin yelled.

Unfortunately the front door wouldn't open, suddenly realizing that the door locked itself. Merlin fumbled in each pocket for the keys until he saw Arthur riding in a circle, jangling the house keys.

"You prat!" Merlin called after him.

"If you want them, come and get them!" Arthur said in a mean tone.

Merlin then found himself running after Arthur.

"Keep up Merlin!" Arthur teased.

"How can I, you're on a bike while I'm on foot!" he yelled.

Merlin ran after Arthur for the next fifteen minutes despite being splashed by a puddle when Arthur had rode in it.

"That should wake you up!" Arthur shouted.

However that was the last thing that Arthur shouted as all of a sudden Arthur wasn't aware that he was losing his balance on the bike, therefore causing the bike to wobble until it tipped over and violently threw Arthur off it, which made Arthur bang his head on the pavement and scrape his knees on the road.

"Ow!" Arthur screamed.

Merlin had both hands over his mouth before seeing if Arthur was ok.

"Are you okay?" Merlin asked with concern.

"Do I look ok!" Arthur replied angrily.

Merlin helped Arthur to his feet as well as saying "Your defiantly okay if you're able to give a sarcastic answer to a simple question ".

"Shut up" Arthur groaned as Merlin pushed his bike home while Arthur limped, holding on to Merlin's shoulder.

When they had got Arthur settled on the sofa Arthur was the one to start the conversation.

"I told you it was a stupid idea " Arthur said childishly.

"Only you would be such a prat and take it one step further" Merlin replied while laughing.

Arthur looked at Merlin grumpily before saying "If you hadn't of suggested the idea in the first place then I wouldn't have had to take matters in my own hands".

Merlin looked at Arthur, "look I think we have both had our exercise for a life time, what do you say to exercise goals have been met?"

"I say about bloody well time" Arthur said flatly.

Merlin chuckled before leaving Arthur to rest.

Arthur let out a small smile before settling down into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
